First hat-trick against Scotland

Fred Spiksley became the first player to score a hat-trick against Scotland in 1893. Due to reporters at the time reporting incorrectly that Reynolds had scored England’s 5th goal in the famous 5-2 victory at Richmond, Spiksley’s achievement is not officially recognised by the FA.

There are several eye-witness accounts that back up Spiksley’s repeated claims that he scored the hat-trick. These include a player on the pitch, the secretary of the FA and the Editor of the Athletic News, as well as several others.

A document that compiled all the evidence of the hat-trick was submitted to the FA in 2015, but as they do not have anyone to make a judgement on such matters no progress was made.

New evidence has since arisen and this will be shared in due course. The authors of Flying Over An Olive Grove would encourage people to read the evidence by clicking here and make their own mind up about whether the hat-trick was scored or not.

“ Spiksley was always doing something, always getting goals. Just consider what he did in the Football Association Challenge Cup Competition in 1896. He had a hand in all of the goals scored at Southampton; against Sunderland, ‘The Team of all the Talents’, he made the opening for Bell and scored himself; and against Everton he was the chief means of 2 of Wednesday’s 4 goals. It was his clever cross to Brash which enabled that player to equalise in the first semi-final game with Bolton Wanderers while in the replay he scored 1 goal as well as scoring both Wednesday goals in the Final. ‘What a Winger’.”

“Spiksley’s control of the ball, his individuality, and his pluck for a man of such modest stature without much weight were amazing. Like Hodgetts, Fred Spiksley did his ball work with the outside of the right foot. In fact, Fred Spiksley could do almost anything he wanted with either foot, and he was a sure marksman. Spiksley as a football player was a wonder.”